Innovation Summit
Wednesday, December 9th
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Virtually through AccelEvents
The New Mexico SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit
The New Mexico SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit will bring together small businesses, Federal program managers, defense representatives, experts, and local organizations who have a vested interest in driving innovation through the SBIR and STTR programs.
Attend
The Innovation Summit’s line-up features powerful speakers, informative panels, access to private one-on-one time with decision-makers, updates on the SBIR/STTR programs, and more. Wednesday December 9th, 2020. 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday December 9th, 2020
9:00AM TO 5:00PM

Agenda
9:00 AM
Kickoff
9:10 AM
Welcome and Introduction
9:20 AM
Keynote Address
9:45 AM
Panel Sessions
12:30 PM
Working Lunch with Cyber-security Presentation
1:30 PM
Panel Sessions
2:50 PM
Presentation: Navy Topics
4:20 PM
Presentation: The NM FAST Program
4:40 PM
Closing Remarks
One-on-One Sessions
One-on-one sessions with program managers will be available at the New Mexico SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit. Session sign-ups will also be available at Exhibitor booths day of.
Speakers
Stay tuned for more details.
Elythia McAnarney
PTAC Advisor, New Mexico Procurement Technical Assistance Center
Elythia McAnarney is a government contracting expert with greater than 25 years of hands-on experience in “Cradle to grave” contract and Subcontract administration of government and commercial contracts. Expert on Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFAR) requirements. Managed Multi-million dollar contracts for DoD, DoE, NASA and GSA. Solicited, negotiated, awarded and managed subcontracts including Terms and Conditions and government flow-downs. Prepared cost and the business volumes for major government solicitations.
Richard R. McNamara
President, RRM & Associates, LLC
Mr. McNamara had a distinguished forty year career with the Department of Navy culminating in eight years as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) — four years as the Deputy Program Manager for the Virginia Class Submarine and four as Executive Director PEO Submarines. In 2008 he retired and established RRM & Associates, LLC.
He has more than 22 years in senior program and executive management positions in acquisition and procurement and is a recognized leader in the Navy acquisition community. He is Level III certified in two Acquisition Professional competencies – Program Management, and Research and Systems Engineering. He has been awarded the DOD Small Business Program Manager of the Year in 2002 and holds the distinction of having managed over $1 Billion in successful Small Business Innovative Research [SBIR] transitions to the fleet. As a Legislative Fellow, he worked on Capitol Hill in the United States Senate.
Myrriah Tomar
New Mexico Economic Development Department (NMEDD)
Director, Office of Science and Technology
Myrriah Tomar is the Director of the Office of Science and Technology for the New Mexico Economic Development Department. She completed her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical School and her B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of New Mexico. Shortly after graduating with her Ph.D., Myrriah worked with the start-up company Safewhite Inc. as an Associate Scientist serving to transition their core technology into a product. She was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship by The Ohio State University for her research on obesity-induced pancreatic cancer.
Prior to her role at the State of New Mexico, Myrriah worked in the office of technology transfer at Rice University evaluating faculty invention disclosures for novelty and commercial potential.
Scott Maloney
Arrowhead Center at
New Mexico State University (NMSU)
Chief Innovator
Scott Maloney is an executive and multiple division leader with experience in Fortune 500 companies and $1B+ startups. He is currently the Chief Innovator at Arrowhead Center with the responsibility of moving technologies into industry through partnership negotiations and ventures.
Scott has worked as the CEO and Co-Founder of Seed Worthy, a technology platform for developers that amassed users around the world. Prior to that he was VP of Strategy and Operations for @Pay, a mobile payment startup where he led the Product, Production, and Creative teams, and provided direct leadership for all strategic initiatives. Before that, Scott was the Senior Operations and Strategy Manager for LivingSocial, where he was responsible for leadership of several operational and strategic teams, and he was a key driver of growth for one of the company’s fastest growing divisions. LivingSocial was acquired for a publicly undisclosed amount. Scott ran R&D finance and planning for Human Genome Sciences prior to their acquisition by GlaxoSmithKline for $3.5B. Prior to that Scott was finance lead to the Emerging Markets Unit at Pfizer where he provided business development and financial efforts for nearly $400M in partnerships deals and international operations. Throughout his career Scott has successfully raised significant investment rounds from Angels, VCs, and funds.
Bill Goodman
President & CEO, Goodman Technologies LLC
Dr. Bill Goodman is a Technologist, Entrepreneur and a Master Results Coach. He has a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from UCLA and has worked in Space, Defense and Aerospace his entire career; he has more than 90 publications and his technologies have flown on 4 different space missions. He has authored 48 winning SBIR/STTR grants (Phases I-III) for companies he has worked for, companies he has owned, or for companies that he coaches. He is the recipient of 2017 – 2019 New Mexico Small Business Assistance Grants, and was selected for the 2018 TechConnect World Innovation Exposition. Bill is a Fellow of the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE), a Partner in Vista Business Group, a nationwide M&A and investment group for the middle market, and Vice President of ScorpioV a New Space Company. He is the President & CEO of Goodman Technologies LLC, a New Space Company, making 3D/AM and Advanced Materials for the most demanding and extreme environments. GT was started a week after being laid off and 30 days after discovering my son required heart surgery.
Emily Novak
NAVSEA Team Ships Technology Coordinator
Emily Novak is currently the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Coordinator for the Team Ships Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate. She advises Program Offices within Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships and Navy Sea Systems Command (SEA 21) on the practices and procedures required to maximize the use of small business innovation within their programs. Prior to this experience, Ms. Novak provided direct support to the NAVSEA Chief Technology Office (SEA 05T) evaluating and transitioning select Naval Research and Development (R&D) projects into the US Naval Fleet and shipyards.
Douglas Marker
NAVSEA PEO IWS Technology Manager
Mr. Douglas L. Marker is the Technology Manager of the Navy Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS). Currently, he manages PEO IWS activities in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF), and Automatic Test and Analysis (ATA) programs. At the NAVSEA SYSCOM level he is serving as the RIF Execution Manager.
His program management experience covers a broad spectrum of technologies: High Frequency Surface Wave Radar, Ku/W-band Precision Tracker, Counter LO, Stealth, Chaff Effectiveness, EO/IR components, Lasers, Composites and Materials, and Cold Gas Shock Tube. He has served as the principle investigator in Independent Research and Development associated with novel composite materials and deployment techniques for absorbing chaffs. In graduate studies, he investigated Fermi surfaces of cobalt whiskers at low temperatures.
Jim Greenwood
Owner and President,
Greenwood Consulting Group
Jim Greenwood and his wife, Gail, have been involved in the SBIR program since its inception in 1983.
The Greenwoods also have taught at many of the National SBIR Conferences over the past 18 years, including the most recent ones in Boston, Washington DC and Tampa. Jim also presented workshops at the 2016 National Institutes of Health (NIH) National SBIR Conference, and Dept. of Defense’s 2017 & 2018 Beyond Phase 2 Conferences. They are recipients of the coveted Tibbetts Award, based on their contributions to SBIR/STTR outreach and education efforts.
The Greenwoods also provide applicants with critiques of draft proposals, performing more than 1100 such reviews over the past decade. Additionally, they coach applicants on Phase I and II proposals being submitted to any of the SBIR/STTR awarding agencies.
Jim Greenwood has served as a commercialization reviewer for the SBIR/STTR programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF), reviewing both Phase 1 and 2 proposals, as well as proposals for NSF’s supplemental programs such as Phase 1b and Phase 2b.
Robin Cantor
President,
STAR Cryoelectronics
Dr. Robin Cantor has over 35 years of experience in the field of superconducting electronics and is the founder of STAR Cryoelectronics, a world-wide leading supplier of thin-film superconducting sensors, detectors, and advanced cryogenic systems for applications in research, biomedical imaging, geophysical exploration, and non-destructive materials testing.
John Williams
Director of Innovation and Technology, Office of Innovation and Technology; U.S. Small Business Administration
Mr. John Williams is Director of Innovation and Technology for the Office of Investment and Innovation (OII) within the US Small Business Administration (SBA). Mr. Williams’ primary responsibility is to serve as senior principal for the Federal policy implementation, and programmatic oversight, of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs across all 11 participating agencies.
Prior to joining the SBA in December of 2014, Mr. Williams served as the Director of the Navy SBIR and STTR programs. While at the Navy, Mr. Williams conceptualized the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), an 11 month program to educate and assist Navy Phase II awardees in the Technology Transition process. Commercialization of technologies developed under the SBIR and STTR program was a major focus of his work. Through Mr. Williams’ leadership the Navy led the way in supporting the acquisition and transition of SBIR/STTR seeded technologies, awarding more Phase III contracts than the rest of the DOD combined. His career with the Navy spanned 27 years, including positions at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, the Naval Sea Systems Command, and the Office of Naval Research.
Dr. Elzabeth Mirowski
SBIR/STTR Program Director; National Science Foundation
Elizabeth (Ela) Mirowski is an SBIR/STTR program director at the National Science Foundation. For more than 20 years, Ela engaged with small businesses as a leader, entrepreneur, and consultant managing the development and commercialization of technologies in the medical devices, sensors, semiconductor, photonics, and manufacturing industries . Ela holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Colorado, a B.A. in Chemistry from Columbia University, and completed a National Research Council post-doctorate at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Richard Park
Deputy Chief Technology Officer, Program Executive Office for Aircraft Carriers; Department of the Navy
Mr. Park joined PEO Aircraft Carriers as the support to Office of Chief Technology Officer in February 2019. He is currently serving as the Technology Manager within PEO Aircraft Carriers and is directly engaged on all stages of the NAVSEA SBIR projects under the cognizance of the aircraft carrier fleet. Prior to PEO Aircraft Carriers, Mr. Park was a materials engineer at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) Corrosion & Coatings Engineering Branch where he led and executed various corrosion and coatings research and engineering projects at NSWCCD.
Ryan Blondino
SBIR/STTR Technology Manager, NAVSEA Headquarters and Directorates (HQ & DIR).; Department of the Navy
Mr. Ryan Blondino is the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Technology Manager for NAVSEA’s Headquarters and Directorates (HQ & DIR). Mr. Blondino is responsible for managing a multi-million dollar portfolio that develops and transitions innovative technologies across the fleet through small business partnerships. Mr. Blondino regularly transitions technology to a variety of stakeholders including Naval Shipyards, the Naval Ordnance Safety & Security Activity (NOSSA), Diving & Salvage Operations, and the SEA 05 Naval Systems Engineering Directorates.
Dana Catron
Director of Strategic Operation; Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University
Dana Catron serves as the Director of Strategic Operations and SBIR Program Director for Arrowhead Center, where she oversees Arrowhead’s SBIR assistance program, NM FAST, and also provides support on strategic planning, operations, grants, written communication, and program development. She also serves as Arrowhead Center’s northern NM liaison, where she represents the organization at events and functions, serves on advisory councils, presents on programmatic initiatives, and performs outreach. Dana received her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Washington State University and a master’s and Ph.D. (in progress) in Rhetoric and Professional Communication from NMSU.
Alicia Keyes
Cabinet Secretary; New Mexico Economic Development Department
Alicia J. Keyes was appointed Cabinet Secretary for the state Economic Development Department in January 2019 by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
She grew up in Albuquerque, graduated from Albuquerque Academy, and earned a degree from Claremont McKenna College. She started her career in the film industry where she worked in global acquisitions for the Walt Disney Co.
Keyes returned to New Mexico in 2008 to raise her children and be with family. She also started her own company that specialized in creating independent content for films – so she knows a thing or two about owning a business.
Since being appointed Cabinet Secretary, Keyes has traveled all over New Mexico helping to create jobs, build wealth, and diversify the economy.
As part of her job as cabinet secretary, she chairs the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, manages the New Mexico Film Office, and the Division of Outdoor Recreation.
Jennifer Greenwood
PEO USC SBIR/STTR Technology Manager; Department of the Navy
Ms. Jennifer Greenwood is the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Manager the Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC). Ms. Greenwood has managed and supported the PEO USC SBIR program for over 5 years. Working with closely PEO USC Program Offices and across the Naval Research & Development Enterprise, she provides the necessary guidance and oversight to ensure successful identification, maturation and transition of SBIR/STTR technologies to acquisition Programs of Record (PoRs) and to the Fleet.
Ms. Greenwood previously served 13 years in the Air Force as a Geospatial Intelligence Analyst supporting various global contingency operations and targeting missions. After separating from the Air Force, Ms. Greenwood provided program support to the Veteran’s Administration Office of Policy and Planning as a Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) program analyst. Additionally, she provided Strategic Planning support as a consultant to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and the Environment.
Ms. Greenwood is a graduate of Bellevue University, B.S. in Business Information Systems, and Villanova University, M.A. in Public Administration.
Eric Frahm
CEO; Pro-VIO
Eric Frahm is a technologist, mentor, investor, and entrepreneur. Eric is passionate about connecting our government with small businesses and creating pathways to allow them to work together and serve one another. He is a veteran, and after a broad-ranging military career leading strategy and acquisition teams, Eric today helps companies understand how to apply their emerging technology to government needs.
After several deployments as a reconnaissance pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan, Eric served as Chief Product Officer for the Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command. He was lead designer for “Pilot Training Next” which remade the global flight training, ultimately leading to at least $1.5B in new investment throughout the industry. He also oversaw a $100M portfolio of innovation projects spanning the Air Force’s recruiting, training, and education portfolios. These initiatives affected all 660,000 members of the Air Force.
Eric used his Air Force expertise to found Pro-VIO, a company that makes working with the government accessible, affordable, and understandable for emerging technology startups. By taking the time to understand a startup’s technology and developmental roadmap, he and his team can identify key offices and contract opportunities that accelerate development without equity dilution. Together, they’ve helped dozens of emerging technology companies find government customers, meet investors and accelerate the pace of discovery.
Patricia Knighten
Principal; PK Strategic Development Consulting
Patricia Knighten ‘s 25+ years of experience in technology commercialization and business development has involved developing and implementing advancement strategies for government agencies, corporations and small businesses – whether a new program or product or new customer acquisition and revenue growth. She is the principal of PK Strategic Development Consulting, former Vice President, Business Development for Vibrant Corporation. She continues to work with Vibrant Corporation to transition emerging capabilities such as additive manufacturing, materials data analytics and advanced resonance based non-destructive inspection to aerospace and defense department users by leveraging the DOD SBIR/STTR program.
Prior accomplishments include the reinstatement of New Mexico’s (NM) Office of Science and Technology where she conceptualized and published “Innovate NM- NM Science and Technology Plan” and $40M Catalyst Fund to fund NM startup companies. Thereafter, she established and managed a Technology Accelerator Pilot Program for the City of Albuquerque, demonstrating the Lean Launch Entrepreneurship Methodology for hardware-based technology projects. She has served as a volunteer board member and community supporter for many industry associations. Currently, she is a TEAM Kirtland Wingman, serves on the Board of Advisors for the Logistics Officers Association.
Jason Schroepfer
Business Financial Manager, SEA 05T2; Department of the Navy
Mr. Schroepfer has over 20 years of experience supporting various programs within the Department of Defense, and is currently responsible for the financial execution and management of SBIR/STTR contracts for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) SBIR/STTR Program. In this capacity, he oversees the management and funding of all NAVSEA SBIR/STTR contracts, including the issuance of over 150 new contracts to small businesses totaling over $150M annually. Prior to assuming his current role, he worked as the SBIR/STTR Coordinator for Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS), managing all aspects of the SBIR/STTR program. Mr. Schroepfer holds a Master of Science Degree in Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration, and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Margaret Stout
Assistant Technical Director, S&T and FMS; Department of the Navy
Meg Stout leads Science and Technology efforts across the Navy’s Undersea Systems Directorate (PEO IWS 5.0), which has an active SBIR/STTR portfolio of 50 topics, many of which Meg either authored or edited. IWS 5.0 aggressively updates USW capability across the Navy, enabling a high rate of successful SBIR/STTR transitions. The IWS 5.0 S&T team won the 2017 DOD Vanguard Award for exhibiting innovative approaches and outstanding support for the SBIR/STTR programs.
Meg has been actively involved in managing and guiding SBIR/STTR efforts for two decades across PEO Subs, PEO(A), and now PEO IWS. Meg was part of the inaugural cohort of the Naval Postgraduate School program for Systems Engineering Management/Product Development for the 21st century (SEM/PD-21) and holds a B.S. in Physics from George Mason University.
Donna Attick
NAVAIR SBIR Program Manager; Department of the Navy
Ms. Attick became the Program Manager of NAVAIR’s Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transition (STTR) program in 2011. The SBIR program was established by congress in 1982 to stimulate technological innovation via the small business. Ms. Attick is responsible for the management and implementation of DoD, Navy, and Command policy aimed at stimulating innovation by small businesses, technical development and the successful transition of SBIR S&T products of federally funded research into the Naval Aviation Enterprise. Over 300 companies participate in the NAVAIR SBIR program through multiple solicitations each year.
Roberto Sanchez
SBIR/STTR Technology Manager for Team Submarines; Department of the Navy
Mr. Roberto Sanchez is a 1997 graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering. He was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Submarine Force and retired after 20 years of service. His operational experience includes tours of duty on LOS ANGELES and OHIO Class submarines, as well as support of Special Operation Forces and Nuclear Surety Inspections. His final tour was at the Pentagon as the resource sponsor for unmanned underwater vehicles.
In 2017 Mr. Sanchez supported the NAVSEA Team Submarine Chief Technology Officer (CTO) as a support contract to manage the CTO portfolio. In January 2020, he entered government service and is in his current position as the SBIR/STTR Technology Manger for Team Submarine.
Mariann Johnston
Team Leader, Technology Engagement and Entrepreneurship; Richard P. Feynman Center for Innovation
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Ms. Johnston is the Team Leader for Technology Engagement and Entrepreneurship at Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Feynman Center for Innovation. This team works to improve mechanisms using Laboratory technologies to stimulate new business startups, attract entrepreneurs and capital to the region.
Before joining Los Alamos, Mariann was the Program Manager for the New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) Program at Sandia National Laboratories.
Mariann earned a BSBA from the University of Denver and MBA from the University of New Mexico.
Bonnie Fiquet
Supervisory Auditor; Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA)
Bonnie Fiquet is a Supervisory Auditor with over eighteen years of successful experience at the Department of Defense-Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). As a key member of the government acquisition team, she is a dedicated steward of taxpayer dollars who deliver high quality contract audits. She specializes in examination of accounting records of defense contractor’s cost-type and time and material contracts, price proposals and system audits. She received her Bachelor and Master degree from the University of New Mexico where she spent 12 years of her career working in the Payroll Department and the Contracts and Grants Department. She enjoys long walks with her husband and four dogs.
Virtual Booths
Visit virtual booths from business growth and support organizations from around the country!

New Mexico Procurement Technical Assistance Center

Pro-VIO

State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI)

DOE SBIR/STTR Programs
The Office of Science supports the Nation’s best minds, using the world’s best facilities, to keep America at the forefront of discovery.

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)
We design, build, deliver and maintain ships and systems on time and on cost for the U.S. Navy.

U.S. Air Force SBIR/STTR programs
The goal of the Air Force SBIR/STTR program is to identify small businesses that can provide a solution to the warfighter in a faster, more efficient manner than was previously available.

Wichita State University Strategic Initiatives
WSU Strategic Initiatives will connect you to the best resources to engage, educate, and assist you in developing your market-driven technology.

Academic Partnership Engagement (APEX)
Cultivating innovation by expanding the American research enterprise for the Department of the Air Force.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Event Logistics
When and where will the New Mexico SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit be held?
The New Mexico SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit will take place Wednesday, December 9, 2020. This year’s event will be held virtually through Hopin.
Do I need to download any software to attend the event?
No. Hopin is a streaming platform so there is no need to download additional software to attend.
How do I use Hopin?
Hopin is a virtual platform with a lot of functionality built into it. We will be releasing a video soon on how to maximize your attendee experience.
Registration
When does registration open?
Registration will open soon.
Where do I register?
Registation will be done through Hopin. Stay tuned for more information.
Is there a fee to attend the SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit?
No, as the New Mexico SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit is virtual this year, the event will be free.
How do I register for one-on-one sessions?
We will send out sign-up information to all registered attendees prior to the event.
Can I register the day of the event?
Yes. As the event will be virtual, registration will be open until the event starts.
If I cannot make it, is my registration transferable?
Yes, as long as we are notified in advance.
Why You Should Attend
Who should attend?
The event highlights the DoD. Will the event be pertinent if I'm interesed in applying to a different agency?
Yes! The event will highlight panels that will provide information pertinent to any SBIR/STTR funding agency.
Contact Information
I am with the media and would like to do a story. Who should I contact
Who can I contact if I have a question?
Contact Dana Catron, Program Director for NM FAST. She can be reached at 505-358-4039 or dderego@ad.nmsu.edu.
This event is an initiative of the NM FAST program, which is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Contact Us
NMSU is an equal opportunity institution. For disability accommodation, please contact Arrowhead Center, (575) 646-6120, arrowheadcenter@nmsu.edu